BASF

Price hikes for all PA 6 and PA 6.6 base polymers, caprolactam and adipic acid

German chemicals giant confirms ongoing interest in POM even after production shift / “We are taking the restructuring very seriously”

Investor WL Ross acquires majority stake in plastics distributor / “Ideal platform to further roll up the fragmented plastics distribution space”

PA grades launched for sensitive electronic applications / Well-suited for automotive use

Joint venture with Avantium on FDCA and PEF / 50,000 t/y FDCA reference plant to be built at Antwerp Verbund facility

Solvay to exit vinyls jv early / Ineos to take full control / Ratcliffe “comfortable” with deal

POM to be brought into a jv with Kolon / Ludwigshafen plant will close in H2 2018

Counter-offer for DuPont reportedly being considered / No comment from Ludwigshafen

US giant pays USD 835m to end PU price fixing case / Uncertainty over Supreme Court

Falling oil hits earnings in 2015 / Lower costs passed on / Plastics hold up well / Outlook for 2016 rather shaky / TDI plant at Schwarzheide to stay on stream a few more months

Bio-butadiene joint venture with Genomatica commences pilot-scale production / Feedstock for bio-polybutadiene

EU close to classifying BPA as category 1 reprotoxin / REACH Committee approves draft

Shanghai-based mega plastics event takes place in late April / Fair organiser Adsale expects 140,000 visitors / PIE once again co-organising "Medical Plastics" conference / Exclusive readers' trip

Immediate hike for TDI sold in Africa and Middle East

Planning “significant investments” in UK subsidiary / Albis (UK) celebrates 50th anniversary

Company is renamed to reflect new ownership structure / Triple Shift strategy to be continued

New effect pigments add colour to ”Firemist” range / Applications include packaging

Fierce competition and high volatility drive consolidation in Germany / French state fund for renovations / New UK market leader is born / Cladding segment increasingly trends towards grey EPS / Prolonged use of HBCD has no notable market relevance

Follow-up: Italian distributor reports regular business operations despite recent fire

Output grows continuously by 7% a year / Consumption doubled over past decade / Global capacities approach 2m t/y / Situation unclear in China / EU imports pressure recyclate grades

Fire destroys warehouse of Italian plastics distributor

Three-way cooperation in developing additive manufacturing solutions / PA 6 powder for 3D printing

First qualitative report on sustainability highlights styrenics' characteristics / Lifecycle approach and optimised use of resources

Moerdijk cracker restarted / Lengthy SM/PO repair works finally completed / Singapore-based cracker down / Preparing for expansions in China and the US

ISOPA general assembly elects new leadership